Richard Condon

Easton Press Richard Condon books

The Manchurian Candidate - 2016

 

Franklin Library Richard Condon books

The Venerable Bead - signed first edition - 1992
Prizzi's Money - signed first edition - 1994

 

 

Author Richard Condon

Richard Condon, born on March 18, 1915, in New York City, was an American author known for his prolific and diverse body of work, particularly his novels that often blended elements of political satire, conspiracy, and dark humor. Condon's writing career spanned several decades, and he gained recognition for his unique storytelling style. Condon grew up in an Irish-American family and developed an early interest in literature. His career began in the world of advertising, where he worked as a copywriter. His experiences in this field provided him with insights into the art of persuasion and the manipulation of public perception—themes that would later find their way into his novels.

In 1959, Richard Condon achieved widespread acclaim with the publication of his best-known work, The Manchurian Candidate. The novel delves into political intrigue and conspiracy, revolving around the brainwashing of a U.S. Army sergeant during the Korean War. The Manchurian Candidate is celebrated for its sharp critique of Cold War politics, its exploration of psychological manipulation, and its chilling portrayal of the potential for corruption within political systems. The novel was adapted into a successful film in 1962, directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Frank Sinatra and Laurence Harvey. The story has since become a cultural touchstone, influencing subsequent works in literature, film, and television. Richard Condon continued to write prolifically, producing novels that often featured dark humor and satirical commentary on various aspects of American society. Some of his other notable works include Prizzi's Honor, which was adapted into a successful film directed by John Huston, and "Winter Kills."

Condon's writing style was characterized by its wit, social commentary, and a penchant for exploring the darker aspects of human nature. While some of his works were commercially successful and well-received, others were met with controversy due to their provocative content. Richard Condon passed away on April 9, 1996, leaving behind a legacy of novels that continue to be studied and appreciated for their exploration of power, politics, and the human psyche. His impact on the thriller and political satire genres endures, and his works remain relevant for readers interested in the complexities of society and the human condition.

 

 

The Manchurian Candidate

War hero Sergeant Raymond Shaw is a sleeper assassin, programmed to kill by his former North Korean captors during his time as a prisoner of war. Now he's been returned to the US, with a mission to assassinate a candidate for US President and his former commander is the only man who can stop him.

As compelling and disturbing as when it was first published in the midst of the Cold War, "The Manchurian Candidate" continues to enthrall readers with its electrifying action and shocking climax....Sgt. Raymond Shaw is a hero of the first order. He's an ex-prisoner of war who saved the life of his entire outfit, a winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the stepson of an influential senator...and the perfect assassin. Brainwashed during his time as a P.O.W., he is a "sleeper" a living weapon to be triggered by a secret signal. He will act without question, no matter what order he is made to carry out. To stop Shaw and those who now control him, his former commanding officer, Bennett Marco, must uncover the truth behind a twisted conspiracy of torture, betrayal, and power that will lead him to the highest levels of the government and into the darkest recesses of his own mind....

Everyone knows the controversial 1962 film of The Manchurian Candidate starring Frank Sinatra and Angela Lansbury, even though it was taken out of circulation for 25 years after JFK's assassination. Equally controversial on publication, and just as timely today, is Richard Condon's original novel. First published in 1959, The Manchurian Candidate is Condon's riveting take on a little-known corner of the cold war, the almost sci-fi concept of American soldiers captured, brainwashed, and programmed by their Chinese captors to return to the states as unsuspected political assassins. Condon's expert manipulation of the book's multiple themes from anticommunist hysteria to megalomaniacal motherhood makes this one of the most dazzling, and enduring, products of an unforgettable time.
 

The Venerable Bead

As the story begins...It is the early 1970s, when every American man, woman, and child is fighting the threat of Communist invasion. Leila Aluja, an Iraqi-American lawyer, becomes a film star as part of her job with the government's top counter-espionage unit, in an effort to track down a ring of Sino-Albanian spies operating out of Hollywood's most powerful talent agency. Leila accomplishes her mission, but not before she falls in love with Albanian spymaster Josef Shqitonja, and compromises her organization by allowing him to escape, bringing an end to her budding undercover career.

Leila bounces back to become a partner of Washington's largest lobbying firm, representing the National Gun Carriers Association, C.A.N.C.E.R. (Center for American National Cigarette Education and Research), and Barkers Hill Enterprises, investment arm of organized crime. From her law practice, Leila moves onto public relations, and then to the head of the world's largest fast-food conglomerate, all the while separated from her true love, Shqitonja, as he scours Albania for a secret, life-prolonging yogurt formula.

Despite the occasional, not to say habitual, affairs, daliances, and marriages, Leila and Shqitonja cling to their love for each other until the secret of the yogurt finally reunites them. More than just a love story, The Venerable Bead is a saga of love for self, money, unassailable corruption, and power. All just kidding, of course.

Prizzi's Money

From the author of The Manchurian Candidate. Hit man Charley Partanna is a faithful lieutenant for the Prizzis, New York's most powerful Mafia family.